Safe travels in Mexico?

March 12, 2009 11:27 AM

[Posting for a friend] My friend is going to Mexico (Riviera Maya, flying into Cancun) in a few weeks and with all the news coming out of Mexico is a bit worried. Should they be? Any concerns or advice?
posted by thenuts to travel & transportation (12 comments total)

The one article I read about it specifically said the Mayan Riviera was safe. Some friends came back from there last week and said everything was fine and dandy.
posted by backwards guitar at 11:41 AM on March 12

Which news about Mexico? If you mean the kidnappings and drug cartel stuff, that's more of an issue on the Pacific side and Mexico City. Your friend is totally fine in the Riviera Maya region. (Presuming they aren't intending to, say, smuggle drugs.)

If he/she is going to be in Playa del Carmen at all, don't miss breakfast at La Cueva del Chango.
posted by desuetude at 11:54 AM on March 12

There has been an upsurge in killings in Mexico but:
1) Almost all the killings have been in states such as Sinaloa, Chihuaha and Baja california
2) This is inter-gang warfare. I'm not aware of any violence against tourists - even in those states.

Mexico is a huge country with an enormous population. The news reports tend to magnify the effect all this has on most Mexicans daily lives. And Cancun is probably the safest place in the entire country.
posted by vacapinta at 11:55 AM on March 12

Here is the State Department's Travel Alert.
posted by davcoo at 11:59 AM on March 12

No, Cancun is about as far from anything dangerous as possible. It's like being afraid of going to Disneyland because of some crime in inner city Detroit.

The US-bordering northern states are dangerous now -- they always are but lately it's crazy -- and Mexico City is always a bit touchy as a giant crime-ridden city like any other... but they're not tourist destinations anyway.
posted by rokusan at 12:04 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]

And Cancun is probably the safest place in the entire country.

I'd ask the new police chief, Mauro Enrique Tello, about that. Oh...wait.... Well, maybe the next police chief will live long enough to say hi?

Chances are you'll be fine, unless you're related to law-enforcement personnel in Mexico.
posted by aramaic at 12:06 PM on March 12

Well, apparently George Tenet is worried enough that he won't let his son go to Acapulco for spring break. But that's on the other coast. The New York Times had this article today on tourist safety in Cancún.
posted by agent99 at 12:23 PM on March 12

The drug cartel violence occurs (mainly) in the Mexican part of the nation of Mexico, not Yucatan, or to be more clear, this is like worrying about the aftermath of Katrina affecting your trip to Seattle.
posted by Pollomacho at 1:04 PM on March 12 [1 favorite]

tell them to take the ferry across to isla mujeres and go snorkelling. (ok this doesn't really relate to the question, but that's more the sort of thing that they should be thinking of, instead of worrying about stuff that's not happening anywhere near where they are going)
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 1:58 PM on March 12

Well, apparently George Tenet is worried enough that he won't let his son go to Acapulco

Um, well... if you were at war with the CIA, George Tenet's son is what might be called a high-value kidnapping target.

So if the OP's friend is a CIA employee... not recommended. Otherwise, lighten up.
posted by rokusan at 2:33 PM on March 12

I was there last month. Probably two noticable but not terribly bad things... expect the security people at hotels to check the credentials/paperwork of people like bus drivers pretty closely when they are picking people up, and you'll probably get stuck in a traffic jam or two when you come up to a police/military check point.
posted by Deep Dish at 2:52 PM on March 12

Thanks for everyone's help. All the answers were really appreciated.
posted by thenuts at 7:46 PM on March 12